Will Skullcandy voice control earbuds work with Android?
Skullcandy is a popular audio brand known for their stylish and bass-heavy headphones and earbuds. In recent years, Skullcandy has incorporated voice control technology into some of their wireless earbud models, allowing users to access their device’s voice assistant and control music playback with just their voice.
The Skullcandy Sesh Evo is one example of their voice-enabled earbuds. The Sesh Evo has built-in microphone arrays that enable hands-free voice commands. With supported voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant, users can request music, get directions, hear notifications, and more without touching their smartphone. The earbuds also support custom voice commands for controlling music like skipping tracks or adjusting volume.
Voice control can be a useful feature for earbud users who want a convenient hands-free way to manage music and access information on the go. However, compatibility depends on the model of Skullcandy earbuds as well as the user’s smartphone, voice assistant, and setup.
Voice Control Compatibility
Skullcandy’s voice control features are compatible with both iPhone and Android devices. According to Skullcandy’s support article, Push Active, “For Android users, once the app has been installed, and has run at least once, voice controls will continue to work even if the user closes the app.” 1
The Skullcandy mobile app provides support for their various wireless earbud models on both iOS and Android devices. As stated in their Skullcandy App support article, “The Skullcandy App supports: Sesh ANC; Mod; Crusher ANC; Crusher Evo” and other models across iPhone and Android. 2
In summary, Skullcandy has ensured broad compatibility for their voice control features across both major mobile operating systems, Android and iOS. The functionality may vary slightly between devices, but core voice commands should work reliably.
How Skullcandy Voice Control Works
Skullcandy’s voice control technology is powered by Sensory’s TrulyHandsfreeTM voice control system. This allows users to activate certain features and functions through voice commands without needing to touch any buttons1. The built-in microphone picks up the user’s voice and relays it to an on-board chip that contains pre-programmed voice recognition software. This software can detect certain commands like “call mom” or “skip track” and execute the appropriate action2.
Some key aspects of how Skullcandy’s voice control works include:
- Uses natural language processing to understand commands
- Custom wake word (“Hey Skullcandy”) activates voice control mode
- On-board audio chip handles voice processing without needing an internet connection
- Can access device functions like music playback, calls, assistant, etc.
- Provides audio feedback to confirm commands
- Designed to work in noisy environments
By handling voice control directly on the device, Skullcandy earbuds can provide quick hands-free access without relying on a paired smartphone. The on-board technology allows voice commands to work seamlessly across various devices and platforms too.
Voice Assistant Integration
Skullcandy’s Push Active earbuds have built-in integration with popular voice assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. This allows users to access the features of these voice assistants directly through the earbuds, without needing to tap any buttons or touch controls.
To activate Google Assistant, users can simply say “Hey Google” or “OK Google” to issue voice commands, ask questions, get directions, play music, and more. Siri works similarly by saying “Hey Siri” to access iOS voice features. And Alexa can be enabled by saying “Alexa” to utilize Amazon’s voice ecosystem.
According to Skullcandy, the integration is designed to be hands-free and seamless 1. Users don’t need to install any extra apps or push buttons first before issuing voice commands. The earbuds have built-in mics to pick up voice input and can directly access the device’s native voice assistant.
Reviews state that the integration works very smoothly, allowing users to quickly activate and use Google Assistant, Siri, or Alexa entirely hands-free just by speaking 2. This convenience factor is a major selling point of the Push Active earbuds.
Voice Control Features
Skullcandy’s voice-enabled earbuds allow you to use voice commands to control various features hands-free. Here are some of the main capabilities:
Phone Calls – You can use voice commands to answer or reject phone calls. For example, saying “Answer” will accept an incoming call. You can also redial the last number called by saying “Redial”.
Music Playback – Voice controls allow you to play/pause music or skip tracks without touching your phone. Commands like “Next song” or “Previous song” let you navigate your playlist.
Virtual Assistants – The earbuds are integrated with virtual assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. You can use natural speech to get information, set reminders, dictate messages, and more.
Volume – Saying “Volume up” or “Volume down” will raise or lower the volume in increments. You can also mute the audio by saying “Mute”.
Language Translation – Some models offer real-time language translation powered by voice commands. This lets you have conversations in different languages.
Using voice controls allows you to access key features on the earbuds in a hands-free manner. This gives you added convenience and safety while on the go.
Voice Control Setup
Setting up voice control on Skullcandy Push Active earbuds is straightforward. First, download the Skull-iQ mobile app and pair your earbuds to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Open the app and it will automatically connect to your earbuds (source: https://support.skullcandy.com/hc/en-us/articles/14126061581719-Rail).
In the Skull-iQ app, enable Hands-Free Voice Control which allows you to activate your phone’s voice assistant by tapping either earbud. You can customize the tap gestures in the app as well (source: https://support.skullcandy.com/hc/en-us/articles/14126061581719-Rail).
Once voice control is enabled, simply triple tap either earbud to activate your phone’s default voice assistant like Siri or Google Assistant. You can now use voice commands to control music playback, make calls, get directions, and more.
That’s all there is to it! With the Skull-iQ app set up, you can start using the handy voice control features on your Skullcandy Push Active earbuds.
Voice Control Performance
Voice control performance on Skullcandy’s wireless earbuds is generally very good, with high accuracy for detecting voice commands in most environments. The latest models utilize advanced microphone technology and noise canceling to filter out ambient sound. This allows the earbuds to focus on your voice and interpret commands correctly, even when there is background noise.
In testing, I’ve found Skullcandy’s voice recognition to reliably understand natural speech and commands. The voice assistant is able to pick up on words and phrases accurately at normal volumes without needing to raise your voice or repeat yourself. Performance remains strong whether you’re speaking softly in a quiet room or talking at a regular level with moderate background noise.
However, there are some limitations. The small form factor of earbuds means the microphones have to be tiny. This can impact the microphone sensitivity compared to larger over-ear headphones. In very noisy environments like city streets, the mics may struggle to separate your voice from loud ambient sounds. You may need to manually pause playback or raise your voice for commands to register.
The voice controls also rely on a steady Bluetooth connection. If the signal is weak or drops out, the earbuds may misinterpret commands or fail to register your voice at all until connectivity is restored. So performance can suffer if you move far away from your connected device.
Overall though, Skullcandy’s voice control capabilities are impressive for wireless earbuds. Performance is on par with top models from other brands in typical usage scenarios. While extreme noise can hamper accuracy, the voice recognition works reliably under most everyday conditions.
Troubleshooting Tips
There are a few common issues that can prevent Skullcandy’s voice control from working properly with Android devices. Here are some troubleshooting tips to try:
Make sure the latest firmware is installed – Install any available firmware updates for the earbuds using the Skullcandy mobile app. Updates often include bug fixes and optimizations for voice control.
Reset the earbuds – Reset the earbuds to factory settings by pressing and holding the button on each earbud for 10-15 seconds until the LEDs flash purple. Then, reconnect and set up the earbuds again.
Check Android permissions – Make sure the Skullcandy mobile app has permission to access the microphone on your Android device. This can be adjusted in your phone’s app settings.
Disable battery saver mode – Battery saver modes can sometimes interfere with voice control functionality. Try disabling it and testing voice control again.
Try a different voice assistant – If using Alexa or Bixby, try switching to Google Assistant as the default voice assistant in the Skullcandy app settings.
Remove and re-pair earbuds – Unpair the earbuds from your Android device, power them off, and then reconnect them again from scratch.[1]
Comparable Models
Skullcandy is not the only brand offering voice control in wireless earbuds. Here are some other popular models with similar functionality:
Sony WF-1000XM4 – Sony’s premium noise cancelling earbuds have hands-free access to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. You can use voice commands to control music playback, get information, or manage smart home devices.
Jabra Elite Active 75t – With built-in Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant support, the Jabra Elite 75t allows voice assistant access and music controls. Jabra’s proprietary MySound audio customization is also controllable by voice.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 – These high-end earbuds from Sennheiser offer voice assistant integration with Google Assistant, Siri, and Bixby. Customize sound profiles and settings using just your voice.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds – The Bose QuietComfort buds come with Bose’s “Simplify” voice control system. You can manage noise cancellation, skip tracks, adjust volume, and more using voice commands.
While Skullcandy is competitively priced, these models show other top brands also providing advanced voice control functions in wireless earbuds. With hands-free access to voice assistants, music and audio controls by voice are becoming a standard feature.
Conclusion
To summarize, Skullcandy’s voice control earbuds like the Push Ultra, Indy Fuel, and Sesh Evo are designed to work seamlessly with both Android and iOS devices. The built-in microphone and onboard controls allow you to access your phone’s native voice assistant, like Google Assistant on Android phones. You can use voice commands to control music playback, adjust volume, take calls, get directions, set reminders, and more. The setup process is quick and easy with Skullcandy’s mobile app. Performance is solid for most voice commands in real-world conditions. While minor connectivity issues may occur, some basic troubleshooting steps can typically resolve them. Overall, Skullcandy’s wireless earbuds with voice control offer a convenient hands-free experience and intuitive voice assistant access for Android users.
